Help us build a shelter in our Ecological Center Alter Natos in Chiapas, Mexico

We, members of the Mexican association Otros Mundos A.C., launched a crowdfunding campaign on the solidary webpage Generosity.com. We need 120.000 US dollars to complete the construction of a 320-square-meter shelter for 40 people in our Ecological Alternative Center “Alter Natos” in San Cristobal de las Casas, in the state of Chiapas, South-East of Mexico. With your help, we’ll be able to receive people from rural communities of Chiapas, other states of Mexico and other countries who will visit our Center to share knowledge and experiences in search of new sustainabale ways of life.

Otros Mundos A.C./Friends of the Earth Mexico is a social organization born 10 years ago in San Cristobal de las Casas, in the state of Chiapas, south east of Mexico. It’s been walking since then along with communities and social movements for the defense of rivers, food sovereignty, health, lands and territories, from capitalism’s depredation. Our work aims at strengthening collective rights and building what we call Alter Natos: ways of life that differ from the dominant system and that spring from below, from the peoples.

The idea of “Alter Natos” is to contribute to the search of alternatives to the social and environmental problems that urban centers have to cope with, such as water and air pollution, bad or missing water supply networks, undrinkable tap water and deforestation, that accelerates global warming.

We have terminated 75% of the construction so far, but we need your help for the final touch: the shelter in which we will be able to receive the people who will carry out activities in Alter Natos. This 320 square-meter shelter will be built with natural materials and bioconstruction techniques: bamboo structures, mud walls, green roofs, dry toilets and rainwater harvesting system, for example. It will be big enough to host 40 guests, with 10 shared bedrooms, showers, dry toilets, kitchen, a living room and a laundry room.

If you help us, we will be able to host hundreds of people every year, so they can enjoy our Alternative Ecological Center “Alter Natos”, built with love and respect towards Nature. In the Center, they will experience the use of different ecotechnologies that permit a better and cleaner use of water and energy and a more sustainable waste management. It is the perfect place for any group work, from workshops for the communities we use to meet with to retreats for alternative therapies and meditation sessions. The atmosphere will be ideal for dialogue, learning and creative processes.

We believe that knowledge is a common good and we want Alter Natos to be a place for gathering and sharing experiences, dreams and hopes for the collective construction of other worlds.